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Former Vikings star Chris Doleman talks, Bob Sansevere listens

Pioneer Press

Posted:
01/30/2012 12:01:00 AM CST

Updated:
02/04/2012 05:30:20 PM CST

Chris Doleman

You know what? Getting into the hall of fame is important, but it's not going to make or break me. I'm a finalist. I'm going to make the hall of fame. I may die before I get there, but I'm going to make the hall of fame. It is a huge honor.

I didn't think going into the Vikings' Ring of Honor was a huge honor. When it was first offered to me, I declined it. (Vikings president) Mark Wilf called me and said this is not a move to try to save face if a guy goes into the hall and is not in the Ring of Honor. Now I think it's a huge honor. I really do.

I was very happy to see Jared Allen break my single-season (team) record (for sacks). I was pulling for him to break the league record.

I'm not here to burn bridges. I'm here to build bridges.

I always said to get a great defensive right end, you try to look to the basketball side. You find a guy who's 6-5, 6-6 who can put on weight and has great feet and great control of his body and has a quick step.

If I had a time machine, where would I go? I would stay where I am, but I would like to be a little bit younger. Maybe 20 years younger. In my life, I've experienced one of the greatest boxers who ever fought in Muhammad Ali. I've experienced one of the greatest basketball players to play in Michael Jordan. I've experienced watching some of the greatest golfers with Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. I've seen men walk on the moon.

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I've seen all the power that took us to the moon on a handheld phone. To be in this time, you've seen a lot of things change - like the first African-American president.

My favorite cartoon as a kid probably was "Spiderman."

Frosted Flakes. That's the cereal I ate as a kid. The more sugar it had, the better.

If I could have any superhero superpower? Would Jesus be considered a superhero? I would go down that road, except I'd rewrite the ending.

The Vikings' Chris Doleman (56) had reason to celebrate in 2000 when he tackled Detroit QB Gus Frerotte for one of his 150.5 career sacks -- he's fourth on the NFL s all-time list. ( Pioneer Press file photo)

My mom and dad had the biggest influence on me. Then I had some coaches. Throughout the course of my life, I've had some very influential people. They worked in different areas. (Former Vikings defensive line coach) Paul Wiggin really helped me find myself as a professional player. Jerry Solomon, when I was in college at Pittsburgh, helped define me. He was my linebacker coach. Each one of these guys helped me become a better man, a stronger Christian. Andy Stanley, my pastor, I think a lot of him. He really gives me true insight on how you want to live your life.

Besides football, I played basketball and volleyball in high school. I was a really good volleyball player. Dude, I was a killer at the net. I would have played volleyball, but there was no money. I would spike the ball, and it was like parting the Red Sea. I would spike it from the second row. I had great control over my body.

It's amazing how blessed I've been in my life.

When I was a kid, I always wanted to be a fireman. I know it was dangerous, but I knew it helped people. That's something that has always been a theme in my life.

Worst thing I ever did as a kid? We had a pellet gun. There was a crow at the end of the yard, and I shot him with the pellet gun. It was like a cartoon. I shot him, and he just staggered around. I shot out all the pellets. I saw how much pain that bird was in when I shot him. I thought I'd shoot out the pellets and see what the air was like that came out of the gun. Little did I know there still was a pellet in the gun. I shot the pellet into my hand. The pellet still is in my left hand - the palm of my hand. My hand just split open. I was crying. I had to be 9 or 10. I never went to the hospital and got it taken out. It just healed over. It was a couple of days afterward that my mom found out. I had a Band-Aid over it. It all started from shooting that stupid bird. Karma got me quick.

I like "Talladega Nights." I like those kind of movies. I am not a fan of any kind of movie that glorifies crime. I've never been that kind of a moviegoer. I remember we went to a movie with friends. It was with Thandie Newton. That movie had me so emotionally torn up. You know how you get a bucket of popcorn. I had that crumbled up like a piece of paper. I don't like movies that glorify crime or mobsters. We have enough of that in our society.

I like movies that make you laugh. I really got into Austin Powers. I like fun stuff, stuff that can never happen.

Sasha Baron Cohen would be one of my favorites. I like Don Cheadle. I like Mykelti Williamson. You meet them and end up liking what they do. I really like Matt Damon. He makes some good movies. I like Mark Wahlberg. He makes good movies. I love Samuel L. Jackson, and I know Sam fairly well. To me, he's not really acting. He's just being himself.

One of the movies I do love is "O Brother Where Art Thou?" with George Clooney.

Pet peeves? People who drive in the left lane slow. People who hold a cell phone up to their head. People who cough and sneeze without covering their mouth. People who aren't respectful. People who feel they're entitled. There are a million of them.

My last meal? I definitely would do the Thanksgiving dinner. I know turkey irritates my gout, but it's my last meal so it doesn't matter. I'd even have fried turkey.

There's an old saying: If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything.

I won't eat ice cream out in public because of all the crap in the air. I'm a germaphobe.

There's a certain way I'm going to live my life. I'm not a big toucher, not a huggy-kissy kind of guy. I'll shake your hand. That's about it.

My Ring of Honor ring, I value that dearly.

Best book I ever read? "The Purpose Driven Life" by Rick Warren. It's a spiritual book. It was about self help.

I like jazz. I like gospel. I'm not a rap fan, by any means. A few years ago, I discovered Journey. You listen to a lot of things that make sense.

Getting old is great because your life is so much fuller.

Best advice? I try to base everything off spiritual principles. I try to put it in God's hands and go from there.

Everybody's Tebowing now. There are guys who've been feeling this way for years.

You get bad advice. Things happen. Everything you get is not going to be great advice.

My favorite TV shows? I'm almost embarrassed but one is Jerry Springer. I love Jerry Springer. People say, "You watch that trash?" Jerry Springer was always great. The other one is Maury Povich. Both are garbage television. No matter how bad your day is going, you turn them on and your day is better than that.

I am addicted to Court TV.

If I could trade places for a day with anyone, I'd probably say the president. But he gets up too early in the morning. He gets like four hours of sleep and works all day. I'm happy with being me.

Maybe if I could, I'd go back and play again for one day.

I want my epitaph to say, "Here lies a man who was judged by what he gave, not by what he received."